Ice Report

Monday 13th February 2012.

Sue Hunter from www.beefur.blogspot.com left a comment on our last blog asking how bad the ice was around Kings Bromley so here's a couple of pictures showing that it's disappearing fast, a boat went past on Friday or Saturday which started thing off.

Who Lives in a Boat Like This

Sunday 12th February 2012.

Moored on the opposite side to the Towpath at Kings Bromley for the last 3 weeks has been this lovely sight, no licence and no number it now has a British Waterways enforcement notice attached. The occupants use a outboard powered dinghy to come and go.

- 9 degrees.

Saturday 4th February 2012.

Weekends are usually busy times at Kings Bromley Marina even in the winter but with minus 9 degrees and snow forecast the "Butterfly Boaters" have stayed away, plenty of car parking space and no screaming kids.

The Ducks and Swans aways try and keep an area of water ice free by swimming around, with last years prolonged freeze their pool got very small. 

Glad we collected plenty of logs last week as they are now keeping us warm, we have a solid fuel fire with back boiler and a small circulation pump so the hot water from the boiler is pumped around 6 radiators and a towel rail in the bathroom, it keeps the whole boat at a nice temperature.

Today I Have Mainly Been - -

Friday 27th January 2012.

Out collecting wood, British Waterways contractors had left a pile about 1 mile along the canal from the Marina, it was difficult to get to as it was on the opposite side to the towpath and the water wasn't very deep but persistence and the plank got the job done.

We Passed

Friday 20th January 2012.

Yesterday our Boat Safety examiner turned up and carried out his inspection of No Direction and it passed, I did have to have a quick fettle of the Alde Bubble tester on the gas system but once that was sorted everything else was ok.

If you need a reliable boat examiner in the Midlands/Staffs area then we can recommend Jeff Greatwood, he's based at Alrewas and his details are on the Boat Safety website or leave a message on 01283 790611.

I am writing this quick blog while sat in the car outside Oswestry Orthopaedic Hospital having brought my mother here for an appointment to get her Knee's fixed, isn't mobile broadband brilliant, it doesn't seem that many years ago when I had an Amstrad with a green screen and programmes on cassette tapes.

Cycling Permit

Tuesday 17th January 2012.

Back in the late eighties/early nineties you were supposed to apply for a permit from British Waterways before cycling on the canal towpath, it cost £3, coloured green and white and was laminated so in didn't disintegrate when tied to your handlebars, I had one but didn't see many more around.

Looking through the Waterscape site recently I noticed that you still need one but now they are free and that you have to download and print them yourself, so that's what I've done.

So, if I spot Halfie or Jim riding their bikes on the towpath I will of course ask to see their permits.

38 Not Out

Saturday 14th January 2012.

On Monday 14th January 1974 at 2 o'clock we got married, that's 38 years ago today and to celebrate we are off for a short cruise towards Rugeley collecting the logs that the British Waterways contractors have left.